The Original. ALW Fears Musical Future — Page 2

He just needs to be maimed or something. And I'm sorry if I offended anybody, but I just have this passionate hatred against him. All of my friends love PHANTOM and CATS, and if I have to listen to those cast recordings one more time, I'm going to shoot myself. Let's just hope he never gets around to wanting to invest the time it takes to write another musical.

"Watching Evita the other night I realised that where he (lyricist Sir Tim Rice) and I were headed - Evita dies and the last 25 minutes are extremely bleak - was such a different direction to where musicals have landed today."
Okay... um... so what? I don't think I fully understand what he's trying to say here. If every musical ended like that, he would be complaining about how all of these shows are too dull or something like that. I mean... personally, I like the darker endings such as that, but is it such a bad thing that most musicals today are a tad bit happier?

"Can you name me an interesting new one? The feel-good factor seems to be the main thing."
Well, if the only shows he finds interesting are those that are bleak and depressing, then no, I can't name him an interesting new one. But, you know, AVENUE Q just opened on the West End, and Trevor Nunn's reworked PORGY AND BESS is coming soon, as is THE LAST FIVE YEARS. AVENUE Q is innovative, PORGY AND BESS is a landmark show, and one of the greatest ever written, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS presents a new way of storytelling, so I think there are some interesting shows opening, but obviously Webber disagrees.

What was the point of that article, anyway?

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they bashed Q? that's sad. I really want to see it in London!

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luvtheEmcee wrote: "He's not right or wrong, he's just pompous. I doubt this argument is being made in the defense of the art form any more than it's being made in defense of an ego."

Succint and spot-on partner!

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They got the title of the article incorrect.

It SHOULD be "Webber fears for the future of HIS musicals and brands them "boring"!"

This coming from the man who is no longer the supposed musical theatre mastermind that he was for a short period of time. He's pompous and envious of successful shows out there today. Let him get a hit and he'll say he changed the direction of where musicals were headed!

Ass.

bump

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Ok i have to say that all us here in the West End cast of Footloose found this interview with him so funny.
First of all we have seen what the last months West End grosses are for each theatre and for a man who is a apparently a buisness man when it comes to theatre well he couldnt have got it more wrong.

His comment's about only 3 shows in london making money was so far of the mark it was untrue.

For a start our show (Footloose)has already hit profit and is doing very well as are Mary Poppins,We Will Rock You(though it is slipping a little),Lion King,Phantom,Mama Mia,Blood Brothers,billy elliot and the Rat Pack and they were more(i just can't remember of the top of my head).

The current Evita revival issnt doing sell out buisness like they would like you to think and many audience members are watching the show and thinking its not that great.

He thinks theatre is dumbing down,yet this coming from the man who gave the world over blown rock operas in the 80s that were all sets and no real heart.
GOD BLESS AMERICA FOR GETTING SMART TO HIS MUSICALS and closing shows like Starlight Express early on(talking trains,dumbing down Hmmmmmm).

All aspects of this world if it be theatre ,film,music etc are moving to fit with the times and stay ahead ,he just diddnt know how to.

And if he is so bothered about theatre dumbing down why is he using a reality tv show(TV dumbing down)to find maria for his revival of Sound of music?

The truth is he is bitter and his new shows have been flopping in london for years(beautiful game,Sunset,bombay dreams,by jeeves etc)and he knows that he can't keep up.His best way to deal with that is to knock the shows what can and are doing buisness.

Im in a young fun show which issn't high art but doesn't pretend to be, but at the end of the day its making money and selling out and leaving audience members in a great mood and having a great night.

He is now having to rely on revivals like Evita and Sound of music because he knows that in this day of musical theatre he just can't cut it.

well said West End Artist!

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"He is now having to rely on revivals like Evita and Sound of music because he knows that in this day of musical theatre he just can't cut it".

That statement is correct, but i think it's sad that people won't give a chance to new material. The audience is also not very willing to try anything new, which makes me sad.

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I disagree completely that audiences aren't willing to try something new. I do think that people who may visit NY once or twice in their entire life or only see one Broadway show are tempted to see Phantom or other well-known hit shows that have been around forever. However, I am more than willing to try something NEW. I'm NOT as willing to try something OLD such as a new musical based on a movie. Been there done that. Unless they make major changes to the story. I'm even less inclined to see a jukebox musical. I want original songs. If I can see a show at a local theatre or by a touring company, I'd rather do that and see another show that won't be in my backyard any time soon.

I'm not quite sure what is wrong with "feel good" musicals. I don't see a problem with musicals having a happy ending or musicals with upbeat scores. I do not want to see pointless fluff, but the definition of "fluff" will differ with each audience memeber. For instance, I don't think Drowsy is completely fluff though it has fluffy aspects!

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Bombay dreams did make its money back but the show will still seen as a flop in london(the papers had a field day with it).I don't think that it's people not giving his new shows a chance because they are ,They just get smart quick to the fact that they really arent very good (woman in white was awfull but you good americans saw through that one to hehe).
The truth is he is stuck in the 80s and has no idea as to what is happening in musical theatre today.

I also dont think ALW was talking about Broadway just the West End but i can see him hating Wicked ,Ave Q and hairspray.
I for one am glad he has no plans to write another musical because after the last few lame attempts i think the world would be better off without them.

I have to admit i really like TBG and that was the first show i was in london.That show dserved to do better but because he came away from his over blown rock operas and had no set(if i remember we pretty much had a green wall and some house sets and that was it)people were'nt intrested.
I think he has been at his best when he has come away from his stereo type but people just dont want to see it.

That's what I don't understand. It's a "Damned if you, Damned if you don't" with him. If he does "fluff" musicals, he is a disgrace to the theatre world. If he does serious work, like THE BEAUTIFUL GAME, it goes against his norm. I love his musicals, and I don't care what anyone thinks of that. It just ticks me off when people bash him or wish harm on him because he wrote CATS. Big F'in Whoop!

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